Cartons containing coupons

ABSTRACT

THE CARTON, SO FAR AS ITS GENRAL BASIC STRUCTURE IS CONCERNED COMPRISES THE USUAL FOUR WALL PANELS SECURED IN PARALLELEPIPED FORM BY MEANS OF A GLUE-PANEL EXTENDING FROM AN END PANEL AND ADAPTED TO THE BE SECURED TO THE REMOTE EDGE OF THE OPPOSITE END PANEL. AT EACH END OF THE CARTION EACH OF THE FOUR MAIN WALL PANELS IS PROVIDED WITH A CLOSURE FLAP, THE FLAPS EXTENDING FROM THE BROADER FRONT AND REAR FACE WALLS PREFERABLY BEING OF SUBSTANTIALLY THE DEPTH OF THE CARTON ITSELF, WHILE THE FLAPS EXTENDING FROM THE NARROW SIDE WALLS ARE ADAPTED TO EXTEND ONLY APPROXIMATELY HALF WAY ACROSS THE WIDTH OF THE CARTION, HOWEVER, THE FLAPS EXTENDING FROM THE UPPER ENDS OF OF THE SIDE WALLS ARE ATTACHED TO THE SIDE WALLS BY PERFORATED TEAR LINES SO AS TO BE RUPTURED AND REMOVED WHEN THE MAIN OUTER CLOSURE FLAP TO WHICH THEY ARE GLUED IS RAISED. FURTHERMORE, THE OTHER SIDE WALL FLAP IS SIMILARLY DETACHABLY CONNECTED TO THE REMAINING FACE WALL ALONG A TEAR LINE AND THIS LAST NAMED FLAP CONSTITUTES THE PREMIUM OR PROMOTIONAL COUPON.

Sept. 20, 1971 c, w. ROSENBURG, JR 3,606,135

CARTONS CONTAINING COUPONS Filed Nov. 21, 1969 2 Sheets-Sheet l flux/.55 144 KOSE/VBUZGI Je. 11w, M, M 5W P 20, 1971 c. w. ROSENBURG, JR 3,606,135

CARTQNS CONTAINING COUPONS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed NOV. 21, 1969 MWEA/TOZ, (was It! fasz/veuw, Jz. 5

M/m, a dwlz fat ATTOF/VEYS United States Patent "ice 3,606,135 CARTONS CONTAINING COUPONS Charles W. Rosenburg, In, North Tonawanda, N.Y., assiguor to F. N. Burt Company, Inc., Buffalo, N .Y. Filed Nov. 21, 1969, Ser. No. 878,853 Int. Cl. B 65d /02 U.S. Cl. 229-37 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The carton, so far as its general basic structure is concerned comprises the usual four wall panels secured in parallelepiped form by means of a glue-panel extending from an end panel and adapted to be secured to the remote edge of the opposite end panel. At each end of the carton each of the four main wall panels is provided with a closure flap, the flaps extending from the broader front and rear face walls preferably being of substantially the depth of the canton itself, while the flaps extending from the narrow side walls are adapted to extend only approximately half way across the width of the carton. However, the flaps extending from the upper ends of the side walls are attached to the side walls by perforated tear lines so as to be ruptured and removed when the main outer closure flap to which they are glued is raised. Furthermore, the other side wall flap is similarly detachably connected to the remaining face wall along a tear line and this last named flap constitutes the premium or promotional coupon.

This invention relates to one piece cartons having incorporated into their structure certain promotional coupons or certificates which may be of value to the purchaser of the carton and its contents, and more particularly to such cartons in which such promotional material cannot be removed without destroying the package.

The invention has for its general object the provision of a carton of extremely simple construction and affording just a simple means for opening the carton to afford access to the contents and to expose and remove the coupon.

'In its present embodiments the invention contemplates the provision of a one-piece carton and a blank for forming the carton which in the ultimate erected structure exhibits only the barest essentials in the Way of wall panels and closure flaps, namely two parallel face panels, two parallel side panels, and closure flaps extending from each of said wall panels.

However only one of the top closure flaps is permaently attached or hinged to its wall panel, and this is preferably the rear face wall panel. The flap detachably con nected to the front wall panel constitutes the coupon itself and is adapted to be folded down into place first, then the detachable side flaps closed onto it, and finally the permanent rear Wall flap folded down on top of and adhesively secured to the side flaps. Thus the raising of the rear flap will rupture and remove the side flaps exposing the front or coupon flap which then can be torn off along its line of severance.

Other objects and features of novelty will be apparent from the following specification when read in connection with the accompanying drawings in which certain embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of example.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a blank from which a carton embodying the principles of the invention is made;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the carton made from the blank of FIG. 1, the top closure flaps being flared outwardly;

3,606,135 Patented Sept. 20, 1971 FIG. 3 is a view in perspective of the carton showing the coupon panel folded into place and showing how the remaining closure flaps are folded down and secured above it;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the carton completely closed and sealed;

FIG. 5 is a similar view showing how the carton is opened and the coupon removed;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of a blank for the production of a carton as an alternative form of the invention;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary plan view illustrating an initial gluing step in manufacturing the carton from the blank of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the carton with the top closure flaps flared outwardly;

FIG. 9 is a view in perspective of the carton showing the manner of folding in the top closure structure;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary perspective view of the top of the closed carton; and

FIG. 11 is a similar view showing the way the carton is opened and the coupon detached.

In FIG. 1 of. the drawings the carton blank 10 is seen to comprise a side wall panel 11, a back face panel 12', a second side wall panel 13, a front face panel 14, and a glue flap panel 1'5'--these panels being successively joined by hinge crease lines 16, 17, 18, and 19.

Hinged successively to these wall panels are the bottom closure flaps 20, 21, 22,"and '23 which are adapted to be folded over and secured in the conventional Way to form the bottom of the carton.

Hinged to the upper edge of the back face panel 12 along the permanent fold line 24 is the top closure flap '25-. This flap may have an oval thumb notch 26 formed in the outer edge thereof.

Hinged to the front face panel 14 along the line 29 is the flap 30 to which may be applied printed matter or other indicia as promotional material. This initial fold line 29 is formed of a series of perforations whereby it may be ruptured and the coupon 30 torn from the face panel 14 when the package has been opened.

The side wall panels 111 and 13 are provided with top closure flaps 32 and 33, each of which is hingedly connected to its respective side wall panel by means of the perforated tear lines 35 and 36.

It will be noted that the hinge line 24 associated with the back face panel 12 and the tear lines 35 and 36 for the side flaps 32 and 33 are disposed in horizontal alignment; however the tear line 29 for the coupon panel 30 is dropped down a slight distance from the other hinge lines. This is for the purpose of folding the coupon panel 30 down at a slightly lower level (about the thickness of the cardboard) than the position of the other closure flaps.

It will be noted that the outward corners of the side flaps 32 and 33 are notched as at 38 and 39 for a purpose which will be described in connection with the erection and opening of the completed carton.

In erecting the carton the walls 11, 12, 13, and 14' are folded to their right angled positions to form the rectangular cross section of the carton, the glue flap 15 being adhesively secured to the inner surface of the remote edge of the side panel 11.

The bottom closure flaps 20, 21, 22, and 23 are folded together in overlapping planes in the conventional manner.

FIG. 2 shows the carton 10' formed from the blank 10 in its erected positions preparatory to filling. The bottom structure has been closed and the top flaps are flared outwardly for admission of the intended contents of the carton. The glue flap 15 is shown adhering to the inner surface of the side Wall 11.

When the carton is filled the coupon flap 30 is turned down along its hinge line 29 to horizontal position as 3 shown in FIG. 3. Then the side flaps 32 and 33 are folded down upon the top surface of the coupon 30 and the outer closure fiap 25 is folded down along its permanent fold line 24 and its inner lower surface attached adhesively to the upper surface of the side flaps 32 and 33.

At this point the arcuate notches 38 and 39 of the side flaps coincide with the side portions of the thumb notch 26 of the top flap 25. This final closure of the package is shown clearly in FIG. 4 of the drawings.

In FIG. 5 the manner of opening the package for the removal of the contents and the retrieving of the coupon is clearly shown. For the purpose of the present invention, provision is made for insuring that upon removal of the coupon the seal of the package will be destroyed. Thus upon insertion of the thumb or finger in the notch 26 and the lifting of the combined rear wall and side wall flaps 25, 32, and 33, the tear lines 35 and 36 will be ruptured. With these combined flaps raised as in FIG. 5 the coupon 30 may be readily seized and torn away along the tear line 29.

In FIGS. 6 to 11 inclusive there is illustrated another embodiment of the principles of the present invention wherein the blank 100 comprises the usual series of wall panels including a first side wall panel 50, a back wall panel 51, a second side wall panel 52, and a front face panel 53 to the last named of which is attached the glue panel 54.

Bottom closure structure including the flaps 55, 56, 57, and 58 are provided in the usual manner.

Hinged to the upper edge of the back face panel 51 along the permanent crease line 59 is the outer top closure flap 60 which may be provided with the thumb notch 61 in its outer edge.

Side wall panels 50 and 52 are provided respectively with the side flaps 63 and 64 which are hinged along the perforated tear lines 65 and 66. Side flaps are provided with the notches 68 and 69 which will conform to the contour of the notch 61 when the box or carton is erected.

Thus far the carton is exactly the same as the one shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 of the drawings; however, the coupon 70 in this embodiment is of substantially double length. The inner portion 71 of the coupon is hinged to the front wall panel along the perforated tear line 72 and an outer portion 75 of the coupon is joined to the inward portion 71 along a fold line or crease 77.

A small retaining tab 80 is attached to the outer edge of the coupon 70 along the tear line 82.

In folding this blank 0 to form the erected carton 100 the coupon flap 70 is folded in half along the line 77 and the securing tab 80 is glued to the upper portion of the inner surface of the front panel 53, as shown in FIG. 7 of the drawings.

Then the carton is erected in a manner similar to that of the earlier described embodiment as suggested in FIGS. 8 and 9.

Then in opening the package for access to the contents and the coupon the thumb or finger is inserted in the notch 51 and the combined flaps 60, 63, and *64 are raised, rupturing the severance lines 65 and 66 by which the wide flaps were secured to the side wall panels. The coupon 70 now being exposed can be readily grasped and torn away along the severance line 72 from the front wall panel 53 and it will be understood that the severance line 4 82 is ruptured at the same time thus freeing the coupon from both the front wall 53 and the retaining tab 80.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A carton comprising four main bounding panels connected successively by fold lines, alternate panels being parallel and comprising opposite walls of the carton, a top closure structure comprising closure flaps hinged to the upper ends of all four wall panels, the hinge lines of said flaps being in approximately continuous alignment around the circumference of the closure structure, the aligned hinge lines of three of the fiaps themselves constituting tear lines for easy severance, but the hinge line of the fourth flap being of a relatively permanent nature, the detachable flap opposite to said fourth flap being the innermost flap when the closure structure is folded, being itself free of any adhesive, and bearing indicia of a promotional nature, the remaining two oppositely disposed flaps being folded down over the indicia bearing flap, and

the said fourth flap folded down upon and adhesively secured to the said remaining oppositely disposed flaps.

2. The carton as set forth in claim 1 in which the indicia bearing flap is twice as long as the depth of the carton and is folded back upon itself along its transverse median line.

3. The carton as set forth in claim 2, in which said indicia bearing flap having added to it at its outermost edge a retaining tab secured to the inner surface of the wall panel from which said flap extends, the line of connection between said flap and said tab being perforated for ready severance along with the severance of the indicia bearing flap from its wall panel.

4. A blank for the provision of a carton of the class described, consisting only of main wall-forming panels connected by fold lines in the following order: side wall, front face wall, side wall, back face wall, and glue flap; suitable bottom closure flaps extending from said main panels; and a series of top closure flaps, those of the last named flaps severably connected to the upper edges of their respective wall panels by means of lines of perforations, and the fourth by a hinge crease for permanent securement; the flap detachably secured to the wall opposite to said fourth flap bearing indicia characterizing it as of special value to be concealed within said carton, said detachable indicia bearing flap being of a length greater than the depth of the finished carton and is provided with a transverse median fold line, and a projecting securing tab.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,970,743 2/ 1961 Joseph et al 229-5115 3,108,735 10/ 1963 Meyers 22951IS 3,237,842 3/ 1966 Esse 229-51IS FOREIGN PATENTS 664,202 6/ 1963 Canada 225-51IS ROBERT B. REEVES, Primary Examiner L. MARTIN, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

206--Digest 22; 229-5 ITS 

